ASPARAGUS. 



lis 



floweirs are small and generally yellow. They are perfect 



fails to produce a crop, is one of the first vegetables to be 

 obtained in the spring and may be used until the middle of 

 June. Perhaps, no other vegetable is more highly esteemed 

 by those who are accustomed to its use. It may be grown 

 with success in any good corn land, but is worthy of the best 

 of care, as it responds readily to rich manure and high culti- 

 vation. On sandy loam the crop is much earlier than on clay 

 soils; wet land is not suited to it. 



Propagation. — It grows readily from seed, and one ounce of 

 seed is sufficient for about fifty feet of drill and should pro- 

 duce with good care about four hundred plants, though no 

 particular care is necessary for success. The seed should be 

 sown in good soil early in the spring, in drills which may 

 be as close as sixteen inches, and it should be covered about 

 one inch deep. As asparagus seed starts slowly, it is a good 

 plan to sow radishes or other early appearing crops with it, 

 so that the rows may be seen and weeding commenced early. 

 This practice does not interfere with the growth of the aspara- 

 gus as the radishes will be ready for use and out of the way 

 before it needs much room. The seedling asparagus toots 



Figfure 49. — Asparag-us plant full grown. 



but in many plants 

 the pistils are abor- 

 tive, so that only 

 about half of the 

 plants produce seed. 

 The seed is produced 

 in spherical berries, 

 that are vermilion 

 in color when they 

 ripen in the autumn. 

 The seeds are black 

 and triangular, num- 

 bering about 1400 to 

 the ounce. Asparagus 

 is one of the most 

 valuable garden veg- 

 etables. It is per- 

 fectly hardy, never 



